Power System

ABSTRACT

The inventive power system preferably comprises an air-duct provided with a vane-type rotor, which is arranged therein and mechanically connected to a shaft of a generator, and a heater electrically connected to the generator&#39;s outlet. The air-duct is incorporated into a building or arranged outside thereof. It can be located between the outer and inner walls of thereof and in its premises. The heater is mounted directly on the vanes of the rotor or they can be embodied in the form of electric heater. The electric heater located outside of the air-duct warms up the building independently of the temperature of air in the air-duct. An elastic sleeve can be installed between the air-duct and an air-balloon and is embodied in the form of a portion of the air-duct. The system can comprise a number of air-ducts of different configurations, a number of heat exchangers (heaters and/or coolers).

The claimed device refers to ventilation devices used for heating premises, and can find wide application in the construction industry.

There is known a power system comprising a ventilation device with an air-duct joined thereto (RU2128787 as of 19 Nov. 1993). A shortcoming of the known system is its limited functional capabilities.

The aim of the proposed invention is the widening of the functional capabilities of the known system.

This aim is achieved by arranging a kinematical link of the ventilation device with an electric energy generator, electrically connected to an electric heater, which electric heater is mounted in an air-duct, sequentially with the ventilation device.

FIG. 1—longitudinal section of the device.

FIG. 2—device with a tube-shaped air-duct.

FIG. 3—example of arranging the air-duct in a building.

FIG. 4—construction elements of the air-duct.

FIG. 5—example of arranging the device.

FIG. 6—example of arranging the device.

FIG. 7—example of arranging the device.

FIG. 8—example of arranging the air-duct.

FIG. 9—example of arranging the power system.

FIG. 10—example of arranging a rotor of the device.

FIG. 11—example of arranging the electro-heaters.

The power system comprises a square cross-section shaped duct 1, containing a generator 2 having a shaft 3 with a bushing 4 secured thereon, for example, pressed on it, and coupled with vanes 5, e.g. welded thereto. The output of generator 2 is made of outlet wires 6, and by means of connecting wires 7 electrically joined or linked with an electro-heater 8 performed as a metal spiral, mounted sequentially to vanes 5, co-axially, and above them.

The duct 1 can be disposed in a niche 9 of a foundation 10 of a building 11, for example, in its basement, and communicated with the outside surrounding through an intake unit 12, e.g. made in a tubular shape, situated below vanes 5.

Duct 6 has a conical portion 13, located in the upper region thereof, transitioned into a flat-like air-duct or a flat rectangular-like cross-sectioned air-duct having a cavity 15, and situated between an external wall 16 of the building 11 and an internal wall 17 of building 11. Building 17 has a number of floors with horizontal bridgings 18 positioned therebetween.

A duct 14 ends with an opening 19, and its upper portion is situated, for example, in a brick outlet 20, or in a tube, mounted on a roof 21 of building 11; a cap 23 or a peak is fixed at the end of outlet 20 by means of legs 22 to protect outlet 20 against precipitations (FIG. 1).

Duct 14 can have a tubular or cylindrical shape, and be situated not between walls 16 and 17, but on a foundation 24 of building 11; and at least one air-intake opening 25 is arranged in the lower portion of building 11, positioned below vanes 5. (FIG. 2)

Cavity 15 can be arranged along walls 16 of building 11; bridgings 18 may have ventilation openings 26 made in proximity to walls 16 communicating parts of cavities 15 situated on different floors of building 11. Some of cavities 15 are overlapped with frames 27 of windows 28. Vertical bridgings 29 are arranged in building 11, dividing it into separate portions (FIG. 3). A thinner partition 30 can be arranged rather than internal wall 17, which partition 30 having sufficient heat-conducting properties, and positioned parallel to wall 16 at a distance therefrom so that openings 26 are situated between the external wall and partition 30, and the endings of the horizontal bridgings are fixed in external walls 16. Thusly, in every separate portion of building 11 a false wall is arranged, being partition 30, that is the number of partitions 30 at least equals to the number of the separate portions. In this case, duct 14 can immediately comprise the inner surface of external wall 16 coated with heat-insulation material and the inner surface of partition 30 (FIG. 4 and FIG. 5).

Vanes 5 can have various shapes, for instance, helix, and be attached to a shaft 31 fixedly coupled with bushing 4, e.g. being welded thereto. This allows narrowing duct 14, wherein the vanes are mounted, that is the duct's diameter can be reduced, while the efficiency of the power system does not decrease (FIG. 6).

Electro-heater 8 can be directly mounted on vanes 5, for example, having a helix shape. In such a case, the surface of vanes 5 can be coupled, e.g. glued, with electro-conducting foil 32 formed with the same shape as vanes 5, and carrying out the functions of heater 8, having a base connected by a wire 7 with an outlet wire 6. Outlet wire 6 is connected with terminals of armature coils 34 of generator 2, whereas an ending of foil 32 through another wire 7 is connected to with the other outlet wire 6, connected to the opposite terminals of armature coils 34. The second wire is passed through an inner cavity of shaft 31, which shaft is performed tubular-shaped with an opening 33 for exiting the wire 7. The casing of armature 34 via bearings 35 is fixed on the casing of an inductor 37, which may be made of permanent magnets or of excitation coils of generator 2 capable of common rotation with vanes 5 about its axis. When inductor 37 is made of an excitation coil, it is connected by wires to a standard power source not illustrated in the drawings (FIG. 7).

It is possible to perform vanes 5 as a heater. In this case, they are made of electro-conductive material, whereas bushing 4 and shaft 31, supporting the bushing and shaft (e.g. bonded by gluing) are made of non-conductive material. As in the previous case, the beginning turn of the helix-shaped vane and its end are connected with the outlet of the armature of generator 2, whereas bushing 4, which supports shaft 31, can be made of insulating material. Yet, bushing 4 can be made of conductive material and one of wires 6 is connected thereto, while busing 4 is associated with shaft 3 via an isolator. The entire vane rotor can also be made of conductive material, including the bushing 4, one of wires 6 is secured in a predetermined point of the casing of generator 2, e.g. in the upper region of the casing of armature 34, while the other wire 6 is connected through wire 7 with the opposite ending of the vane rotor. Thus, it can be generally said that at least a part of the vane rotor of the power system, for example, its vanes, is performed as an electric heater, whose terminals are electrically tied with the output of generator 2 (FIG. 10). When the vanes are performed of conductive material, the heating foil 32 can be installed thereon via insulation strips 38 that can be glued to the foil on both sides (FIG. 8).

Duct 14 can be mounted in a shelter of branches 39 or ‘yaranga’, and, with the intention to increase the natural draught, the duct can be connected with an elastic sleeve 40, whose top is secured on an air-balloon 42 with straps 41 (FIG. 9).

FIGS. 6 and 7 show one helix vane 5. So, at least one vane 5 is sufficient for operation of the claimed device.

In general, the power system can be thought of as a ventilating installation, since the air-duct and the ventilator are performed as vanes mechanically tied with shaft 3 of electric generator 3, and they could be related to ventilation systems. Therefore, vanes 5 associated with generator 2 can be mounted in a duct of any ventilation system, for instance, in an inflowing ventilation system. The vanes 5 can have a broad meaning, for instance, they may be substituted by a ventilation wheel with vanes, and other elements of a vane air drive, which begin spinning by an airflow, including cup vanes. Besides, vanes 5 with bushing 4 and shaft 31 can be thought of as a ‘vane rotor’, which expression will be used in the claims. There can be a number of the rotors, generators 2, and electro-heaters 8 in the power system. Still, for operation of the system, it's enough to have at least one air-duct with at least one vane rotor mechanically tied with at least one shaft 3, and at least one generator 2, whose electrical outlet is connected with at least one electro-heater 8.

Opening 19 may be not protruded from building 11, but be located in its upper part, e.g. in the attic. The outlet of generator 2 means the ends of coils of its armature 34 tied to the outlet wires 6. Air-duct 14 can be made of a significant height, and comprise a central part with branches extended to different buildings.

Electro-heater 8 may be installed outside of air-duct 14, and be performed as electro-conductive floors, electro-conductive walls or ceilings, electro-calorifers, or electro-radiators 43. In such a case, air-duct 14 can be located outside building 11 (FIG. 11).

The power system operates as follows: due to the natural draught conditioned by a difference of heights between the entrance of the power system, i.e. intake unit 12 or opening 25, and its exit, i.e. opening 19, the air mass moves along air-duct 14 and begins revolving the vane rotor, that is vanes 5, mechanically tied with shaft 3 of generator 2, which starts generating electrical energy, transmitting it via outlet wires 6 and wires 7 to the load, i.e. the electro-heater, which electro-heater, being heated, conveys its heat to the air passing therethrough. While passing air-ducts 14, e.g. between the walls of building 11 and openings 26, or in the square cross-shaped duct outside the premises walls, the heated air heats up the premises themselves. If the electro-heater is situated immediately on vanes 5 or the vanes themselves are performed as an electro-heater, then this heating occurs more intensively and the efficiency of the power station rises. If the vane rotor of power system is installed in a system of compulsory ventilation, for example, in its square cross-shaped duct or in the intake unit, then the rotor begins spinning from the airflow created by its ventilator. At last, the vane rotor with vanes 5 can be installed in a small openable window pane (fortochka), or in any other opening of the building. Sleeve 40, having a significant height, increases the air draught in air-duct 14, which makes possible to apply the power system in field conditions.

Where electro-heaters 8 are situated outside air-duct 14, electric energy produced by generator 2 is transmitted through wires 7 to electro-heaters 8, for example, electro-radiators 43 mounted in the premises of building 11.

Additional Materials:

FIG. 12—Example of arranging the air-duct.

FIG. 13—Example of arranging the air-duct.

FIG. 14—Example of arranging the air-duct.

FIG. 15—Example of arranging a portion of the air-duct.

Air-duct 14 can be performed as a closed-loop channel, e.g., divided into separate parts: a straight channel 44 wherein the electrical energy generator 2 is mounted that is mechanically tied to vanes 5, and, e.g., electro-heater 8 that can be aligned with vanes 5, or vanes 5 themselves can be performed as an electro-heater, as it is shown in the examples above; an upper channel 45 that can be made as a collector with the straight channels 44 joined thereto; a reverse channel 46 that can be located outside building 11; a lower channel 47 wherein the electrical energy generator 2 and vanes 5 are mounted; and also a detour channel 48 with a damper 49 mounted therein. Lower channel 47 may contain a supercharging unit 50, e.g. a fan or pump, located between the connection points of detour channel 48 with lower channel 47. Straight channel 44, upper channel 45, lower channel 47, and detour channel 48 form the closed-loop channel that represents the air-duct, for example, air-duct 14 (FIG. 12).

Upper channel 45 can be performed with a predetermined tilt, e.g. at an acute angle to the vertical, and connected with the outlet portion of air-duct 14, therethrough it communicates with the atmosphere. Damper 49 is installed in the outlet portion, which portion is also tied with reverse channel 46. In the lower portion of straight channel 44, opening 25 is made with damper 49 for shutting thereof (FIG. 13).

Several straight channels 44 can be used, joined to each other, e.g. at a predetermined angle at the beginning and the end, wherein the beginning junction is associated with lower channel 47, and the upper junction is associated with upper channel 45 (FIG. 14). Straight channel 44 can contain at least one electro-radiator 43, whose energy source is located outside channels 44 or 47 (FIG. 15).

There may be a number of air-ducts performed as a closed-loop channel, arranged in the volume of building 11, hence the number can be expressed as at least one closed-loop channel of air-duct 14.

Not only a heater can be installed in straight channel 44, such as electro-heater 8, or electro-radiator 43, but also a cooler, for instance, an air-conditioner, which can cause a circulation of air in the closed-loop channel, e.g. in the summer time. Therefore, the heater and cooler can be categorized as a heat exchanger. There can be several heat exchangers and they might be characterized as at least one heat exchanger installed in the closed-loop channel of air-duct 14, whose heat or cold source can be placed outside the air-duct.

In the given example, the power system operates as follows:

Considering that the air temperature in the lower part of building 11 is higher than in the upper part thereof, then the warmer air naturally begins moving upward from the lower part of straight channel 44, and starts revolving vanes 5 that effect the electric energy generator 2 and induced an EMF therein, which EFM creates an electrical current in an armature—electro-heater circuit, electro-heater 8 starts heating up the air in the lower portion of the straight channel causing a further acceleration of the airflow. While moving upward, the air is drawn into upper channel 45, cooling down therein, enters into reverse channel 46, and passing it, enters lower channel 47 and then flows into the lower portion of straight channel 44. Thus the air circulation is provided along the closed-loop channel of air-duct 14, warming up different parts of building 11, since its straight channel with the warm air is situated within the building.

To speed up the air circulation along the closed-loop channel of air-duct 14, the supercharging unit 50 can be utilized that pumps the air into straight channel 44, while damper 49 of detour channel 48 is shut, that accelerates the rotation of vanes 5, thereby increasing the temperature of electro-heater 8. The further process of circulation is similar to the one described in the previous example. When the air circulation acquires a predetermined power, supercharging unit 50 can be turned off, damper 49 of the detour channel is opened, and the process of air circulation in the closed-loop channel of air-duct 14 will continue in the natural way, as in the first example.

For the same purpose, the outlet portion of air-duct 14 can be used, when damper 49 is opened. In this case, at the first moment, the air, due to the natural draught, is drawn from opening 25, while damper 49 is opened, and inflows into the straight channel, revolving vanes 5, and warms up the heater, e.g. mounted on the vanes, and outflows via the outlet portion of air-duct 14 into the atmosphere. When the air circulation reaches a sufficient power in the closed-loop channel of air-duct 14, the dampers 49 in the outlet portion of air-duct 14 and openings 25 will be shut, and the circulation process occurs in the natural manner, as in the first example.

There could be no electric energy generator 2 and vanes 5 in the closed-loop channel of air-duct 44, but only at least one heater can be installed therein, e.g. electro-radiator 43, which is located in the lower portion of the straight channel, and its source of heat is placed outside this channel. This is however enough to produce the air circulation if the heater is warmed up in the closed-loop channel of the air-duct, according to the previous examples. 

1. A power system of a building, the power system comprising: at least one air-duct associated with the building; at least one electric energy generator including a rotor, at least a portion of said generator installed in said air-duct; and at least one heat exchanger electrically connected to said generator.
 2. The power system according to claim 1, wherein said heat exchanger being an electro-heater.
 3. The power system according to claim 1, wherein said heat exchanger is located in the building.
 4. The power system according to claim 1, wherein said heat exchanger is located in said air-duct.
 5. The power system according to claim 2, wherein said heat exchanger is installed on the rotor, so that being capable of cooperative rotation with the rotor.
 6. The power system according to claim 1, wherein said rotor including vanes, and said vanes are made in the form of an electro-heater.
 7. The power system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one air-duct comprises at least two air-ducts, and at least a portion of said two air-ducts located outside the building, and said heat exchanger installed in the building.
 8. The power system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said at least one air-duct is performed as an elastic sleeve, wherein the upper end thereof is secured on an air-balloon.
 9. The power system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said at least one air-duct includes a straight channel and a reverse channel tied to each other.
 10. The power system according to claim 9, wherein the reverse channel situated on the outside of the building.
 11. The power system according to claim 9, wherein the upper portion of the straight and reverse channels include a conical component.
 12. The power system according to claim 1, further comprising a supercharger unit associated with said air-duct.
 13. The power system according to claim 5, wherein said rotor including vanes, said heat exchanger being an electro-heater installed on said vanes. 